PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Collin Joseph (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Forrest Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Joseph
vs
Griffin

167 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Collin Joseph!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Forrest Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Frank Dennis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Griffin closes the distance looking to clinch

and Joseph counters by clinching up.
Joseph drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Joseph breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Griffin shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Joseph is trying to defend but Griffin finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Griffin trying to mount his opponent but Joseph defends it.
Joseph trying to hold on to Griffin's head to control him but Griffin postures up.
Griffin looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Griffin is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Griffin seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Joseph does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Joseph is positioning himself well to prevent Griffin advancing to mount.
Joseph trying to hold on to Griffin's head to control him but Griffin postures up.
Griffin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Joseph trying to control here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Joseph is doing well to control the position and prevent Griffin from advancing to side control.
Joseph is looking to control Griffin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Joseph avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Collin Joseph has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Joseph tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Griffin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Griffin wants to clinch
and Joseph counters with a leg kick.
Joseph really is a fat lump.
Griffin misses with a two punch combination.

Joseph gets caught flat footed, as Griffin shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Joseph seems keen to control Griffin's posture.
Griffin landing some decent shots from guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Joseph doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph is trying to keep Griffin in close.
Griffin is looking to stand up but Joseph won't let him.
Joseph working a defensive guard here.
Joseph wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joseph is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Joseph might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Joseph throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Joseph throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Griffin pushes down on Joseph's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Joseph missing with punches from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Griffin blocks the strikes from Joseph.

Griffin seems to be looking for submissions.
Griffin looks winded!

Griffin is working for a submission of some sort.
Joseph tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Joseph moves into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Forrest Griffin will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Griffin drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Joseph is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Joseph is trying to control the position but Griffin postures up.
Joseph looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Joseph is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Joseph has his hands on Griffin's head, controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Collin Joseph wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Joseph shoots in looking for a takedown but Griffin manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Joseph's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Joseph shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Griffin as he jumps to the side.

Griffin drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Joseph throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Joseph has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Joseph wants to sweep but no luck.
Joseph manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Griffin manages to get himself to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Griffin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Joseph.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joseph trying to control but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Joseph keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Griffin's head.
Griffin looking for a sweep. Not yet Griffin, not yet.
Griffin wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Griffin looking to control.
Joseph is looking to work some ground and pound but Griffin has wrist control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Joseph won't allow Griffin to sweep him here.
Griffin keeping moving, preventing Joseph from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Griffin closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Griffin lands in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin tries to free his leg and advance position but Joseph is retaining full guard.
Joseph will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Joseph will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Joseph is pulling down on Griffin's head to control his posture.
Griffin wants to control from the top but Joseph keeps moving.
Joseph working a defensive guard here.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Joseph thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin trying to control the position from guard on top but Joseph is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Forrest Griffin wasn't active enough on the ground.

Griffin shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Joseph trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Griffin trying to control the position from guard on top but Joseph is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Joseph is pulling down on Griffin's head. It's preventing any offense from Griffin, at least for the moment.
Joseph has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Joseph tries to strike from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Forrest Griffin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Griffin closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Joseph quickly recovers to half guard.
Griffin scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Joseph manages to get to full guard.
Joseph is pulling down on Griffin's head. It's preventing any offense from Griffin, at least for the moment.
Griffin wants to pass the guard but Joseph is keeping the position.
Forrest Griffin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Joseph is controlling Griffin's posture.
Griffin stopping the sweep attempt from Joseph.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Griffin stands and steps away. Joseph gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Griffin closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Joseph quickly recovers to half guard.
Griffin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Joseph moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Joseph working a defensive guard here.
Joseph striking off his back, scoring a few points.
Joseph wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joseph is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Joseph controlling Griffin's posture.
Joseph trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Joseph is on top in guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Joseph with a nice head shot there.
Griffin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Joseph with a nice head shot there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph is looking to stand up but Griffin won't let him.
Joseph missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Joseph controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Joseph trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Griffin controls Joseph momentarily but Joseph frees himself.
Griffin wants to stand and escape but Joseph is having none of it.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Joseph's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Griffin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Joseph throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Griffin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Joseph slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Joseph is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joseph works over Griffin with some ground and pound from guard.
Joseph chips away with some ground and pound.
Joseph trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Joseph working some strikes from top position.
Joseph landing some decent shots from guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Joseph throwing strikes but missing.
Joseph distracts Griffin with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Griffin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Collin Joseph has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Forrest Griffin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Joseph throwing strikes but missing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Collin Joseph showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Griffin has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Forrest Griffin!
Forrest Griffin seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.